Archive for vaccines
A vaccine to prevent opioid overdose?
Sharon Levy, MD, MPH, who directs the Adolescent Substance Use and Addiction Program (ASAP) at Boston Children’s Hospital, was getting her youngest son ready for school, when her husband Ofer, an infectious disease physician at the same hospital, came to her with an offer. The NIH was soliciting proposals to develop an opioid vaccine. Would ... Read More about A vaccine to prevent opioid overdose?
Sticking it to needle pain
Ask any kid what they dread most about a visit to the doctor and you’ll likely hear the same answer: “Needles!” Whether in the form of vaccinations or blood draws, the pain associated with needlesticks isn’t “just a small poke” to many children. It’s a major source of fear and distress — and not just ... Read More about Sticking it to needle pain
Hidden part of flu virus yields hope for better vaccines
The annual effort to create a flu vaccine is like a high-stakes game of Whack-a-mole. Even if public health officials develop a vaccine that offers wide protection, the ever-changing influenza virus pops up again the next year in a new guise, often different enough to thwart the body’s defenses. And while most people recover, influenza ... Read More about Hidden part of flu virus yields hope for better vaccines
Small samples, big data: A systems-biology look at a newborn’s first week of life
The first week of a baby’s life is a time of rapid biological change. The newborn must adapt to living outside the womb, suddenly exposed to new bacteria and viruses. Yet scientists know surprisingly little about these early changes. Reporting in Nature Communications, an international research team provides the most detailed accounting to date of the ... Read More about Small samples, big data: A systems-biology look at a newborn’s first week of life
Culture shock: Why poliovirus had to live before it could die
Today, stories of polio may seem like echoes from far-away history to those born after 1979, the year that polio was eradicated in the U.S. Since then, it has been customary for children to receive four doses of the polio vaccine to protect them from ever contracting the terrifying disease also known as “infantile paralysis.” Polio, however, still afflicts people in ... Read More about Culture shock: Why poliovirus had to live before it could die
Effective vaccination of newborns: Getting closer to the dream
In many parts of the world, babies have just one chance to be vaccinated: when they’re born. Unfortunately, newborns’ young immune systems don’t respond well to most vaccines. That’s why, in the U.S., most immunizations start at two months of age. Currently, only BCG, polio vaccine and hepatitis B vaccines work in newborns, and the ... Read More about Effective vaccination of newborns: Getting closer to the dream
Startup uses Uber to get patients to their medical appointments
Getting to the doctor will soon get easier for some struggling patients. Boston Children’s Hospital has joined forces with the ride-hailing service Uber to pilot a non-emergency medical transportation platform. The online, HIPAA-compliant tool, called Circulation, connects with health care information systems, enabling hospitals to schedule Uber rides for patients. The pilot will serve Boston Children’s, Mercy Health ... Read More about Startup uses Uber to get patients to their medical appointments
Keeping up with HIV mutations: Building a nimble vaccine test system
An AIDS vaccine able to fight any HIV strain has thus far eluded science. HIV frequently mutates its coat protein, dodging vaccine makers’ efforts to elicit sufficiently broadly neutralizing antibodies. Yet sometimes HIV-infected people can produce such antibodies on their own. This usually requires years of exposure to the virus, allowing the immune system to modify ... Read More about Keeping up with HIV mutations: Building a nimble vaccine test system